News

Joseph Calleja takes the stage at the Teatru Manoel on December 7, to raise funds for his eponymous BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation. Since 2013, Calleja has worked in tandem with the Bank of Valletta to guide the Foundation, which supports Maltese young artists and children in need.

The concert highlights performances by Mr. Calleja as well as several of the Foundation’s scholars, accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra led by Maestro Brian Schemer. The evening also features a post-concert reception at the Casino Maltese. Purchase your tickets for this not-to-be-missed event via the following link, and read a feature by The Malta Independent for additional information.

Joseph Calleja stars as Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele on a new DVD/Blu-ray release from the Bayerische Staatsoper and C Major Entertainment. The recording was taken live from the premiere production in 2015, which was designed and directed by Roland Schwab, along with musical direction from conductor Omer Meir Wellber. René Pape sings the title role with Kristine Opolais as Margherita on this must-have video capture, which is now available for pre-order via Amazon.com (international release on November 18). Watch the video preview and purchase your copy today!

Joseph Calleja reprises his critically lauded portrayal of Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele, at the Bayerische Staatsoper – November 4, 7 & 10. Erwin Schrott sings the title role and Ausrine Stundyte is Margherita, in a production designed and directed by Roland Schwab, with Maestro Paolo Carignani leading the Bayerische Staatsorchester.

Mr. Calleja’s performances as Faust last season in Munich were heralded for his “tremendous vocal presence” (Merkur) which highlighted the “elegance and luminosity” (Bayerische Rundfunk) of his thrilling vocalism and stage presence.

Enjoy a video trailer of the production, and a video interview with Mr. Calleja where he discusses the music of ‘Mefistofele’ and its place in the operatic canon.

Malta did not win the Eurovision but lo and behold the sun still rose and the island (the center of the known universe) still spun…

My two cents is that Ira Losco gave a really good performance and that the whole presentation was excellent. She shouldn’t have performed cause she is pregnant? Come off it – I have performed repeatedly with pregnant opera singers well into their 7th and 8th month of pregnancy and trust me when I say that rehearsing and performing for a full opera production is much more physically demanding than a couple of days at the Eurovision. Of course there are those who know much better than the undersigned and who went on to say that the presentation was a tad “camp”…oh the irony when one considers that the Eurovision is the campest of them all.

Meanwhile, this wouldn’t be Malta and the Eurovision wouldn’t be the Eurovision unless its politicized to the exhaustible hilt. The inevitable “mud slinging competition,” which we will see a lot of in the coming 22 months, ensued and even yours truly (inexplicably) ended up in the midst of the fray, in yet another “supernova” in a tea cup. The Eurovision suddenly became an interchangeable bullet to be used ad nauseam by both sides much like bitter parents who use their innocent children during disputes. I have always found sycophants interesting, even amusing but they will not be getting the much desired Streisand effect from me, thank you very much. It is part of human nature after all to conjure conspiracies and we are not going to let the simple truth get in the way of some exciting and convenient fiction.

Speaking of “conjuring” is it me or is a company advertising real estate using a chap “connected” with the tragic and unnecessary death of an underage girl? It must be a clone or a”doppleganger”, otherwise this would be the epitome of bad taste and a 100 shades of wrong. Don’t get me wrong I am all for “second chances” and all of that but shouldn’t there be due process first? After all Lisa Marie didn’t get a second chance did she?